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Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Thanks, Mom and Dad

I love my mom and dad. I realize that this in and of itself isn't anything all that amazing or remarkable. But it is when you think about everything they did for me, and all I put them through.

Mom, me, brother, and Dad on college graduation day.

Both my parents were involved in my D care, but truth be told, it was more so my mom. She's my best friend, and actually, I think D gets to take part of the credit for that. I think of her when I read these D-mom blogs (see blog list at right for some of them). D-moms (and dads) are super-fierce when it comes to caring for their kiddos. I know my mom was.

She has been with me every step of the way. And so has my father. As I mentioned before, I am a lot like him, so he was always super-loving and understanding.

Some of the D-moms seems to really be struggling a lot lately, so I felt like I needed to share this. Basically, I realized one afternoon that I never thanked my parents for all they sacrificed for my D care. Here's the post I made on Juvenation a few months ago:

To all the parents out there-

Father-daughter dance. I love my daddy!

Today, I went shopping with my mom. We had a great time, bought some Christmas gifts, and of course, chatted a good bit. I was telling her all about Juve (since I've only recently discovered it) and how much it's helping me. And then it hit me- have I ever thanked her? Or my dad?

For sleeping on the horrible "reclining" chairs at the hospital? For letting me shoot them with a shot of saline to practice? For sometimes being able to tell my BS was off even before I could? For holding my hair back while I threw up when I had ketones? For putting up with terrible high mood swings? For calling 911 and holding me while I had two seizures in the middle of the night? For getting me up for two years at 3am and making me eat so I wouldn't have another one? For taking on the financial burdens and shielding me from that stress? For being the ones I still call when I'm high and have ketones and feel like crap?

So I thanked my mom. Today. In the car. Though nothing I could say would ever be enough. And thanks to all you parents out there. Your T1 kids may not recognize your sacrifices now, but one day they will. And they will be so grateful. Don't worry, it's not guilt I feel. The D is in no way my fault. I just so appreciate everything my parents did for me. They enabled me to be successful in tackling D on my own as an adult. You all are doing the same thing every day.

Tomorrow, I'm talking to my dad.

So thanks, Mom and Dad. Thank you.

Before I go, I'd like to add a few more thank-yous to my list. Thank you for fighting tooth and nail with insurance companies. For shuttling me back and forth to all those doctor appointments. For making sure I got whatever I needed, when I needed it. For shouting "DRINK" every five minutes at the top of your lungs when my bs was high, despite my snarky remarks. When I got food poisoning, you hollered and yelled at that intern till he got a phlebotomist to get blood out of my super-dehydrated body. And never once, while I've been suffering from this burnout and apathy, have you judged me in any way. You have been nothing but supportive--always. And thanks for embracing the DOC and my new support system, though they will never replace the two of you.

Me and my best friend!

No one, except maybe my husband, will ever be as close to understanding what it's like to live with t1 as my parents are, especially my mom. The two of us have been to hell and back, and we have the battle scars to prove it. We have laughed, cried, screamed, cursed, sprinted, crawled our way over the years with D. And we're both still standing.

First off...I stink at twitter and only go there like once a month. I was sooooo happy and touched to find this post tonight Jesse. Thank you. Tears are stinging my eyes...in awe of you, in awe of your mother...and your father...and your husband. The whole family is in on this way of life and I thank you for writing about it.

Love to you and sooo glad that I found your blog earlier this past week...and this post tonight. I will continue to do the best I can. I know Joe and I will be in a photo together as you and your mom are above someday. He and I will share the knowledge of the "hell" we have been through and the joys we have earned through that "hell".